Michigan Fishing - the 100 Things I'm Looking Forward To On the 2013 Trip

Coonie Dolly and Jill and Tommy forty-one years ago.

Oh, you bacons look so good.

This is a five horse Montgomery Ward's Sea King, a 6J6 plug, a common plug; now I have a 150 horse Honda motor. OooooWeeee!!!

Forty-one years ago.

1. Landing at O'Hara and driving to Gander Mountain with Tommy and calling Moni from the car, and seeing Antioch.
2. Shopping at Gander Mountain, I need another rod and reel for heavy stuff.
3. Eating at Red Robin with Tommy and Adam, bring the fries with the drinks.
4. Visiting and catching up with Pat and her dogs.
5. Getting up at 2:00 A.M., hooking up the boat and driving to Michigan.
6. Stopping at McDonald's and getting a hot cup of coffee and an egg biscuit or two.
7. Shopping at the tackle store in Eagle River. This is heaven.
8. Talking on the phone with Adam while we are both driving up.
9. Looking at all the green trees on the way up.
10. Leaving Wisconsin and seeing the sign we are entering Michigan.
11. Turing on Thousand Island Lake Road and driving to Wilderness Bay.
12. Launching the boat and parking the trailer. Seeing the boat slip into the water is exciting.
13. Checking in and getting our licenses and small talk with the lady. Get a few pictures inside the store.
14. Going out for our first fishing, trying our proven spots.
15. Making that first cast, feeling that first tug.
16. Catching that first fish, enjoying it if either one of us catches it.
17. Taking pictures, seeing all the places we saw forty-one years ago.
18. Fishing with frogs and surface lures.
19. Fishing with jigs and 12" plastic worms.
20. Fishing with my new Strike King deep divers.
21. Trying different retrieves.
22. Going in to unpack and seeing Adam on the pier waiting for us with open arms.
23. Calling Moni when I catch my first really big fish.
24. Setting up my new tackle box.
25. Getting pictures of Tommy and Adam.
26. Getting pictures of the resort.
27. Getting pictures of the fish and every fish
28. Getting pictures of the lakes and channels.
29. Getting pictures of nature: deer, birds, turtles, beavers, and eagle's nests.
30. Getting pictures of sunsets. Catching my first fish on a frog.
31. Eating steaks and brat sandwiches that don't have cheese in them.
32. Eating twice baked potatoes.
33. Eating the casserole.
34. Eating Adam's world famous crock pot ribs.
35. Eating bacon and eggs before going out to fish.
36. Getting pictures of Tommy and Adam fishing.
37. Getting a picture of Adam doing push ups.
38. Fishing off the pier.
39. Fishing in the rain.
40. Wearing my bib pants.
41. Getting pictures of our new hats.
42. Getting pictures inside the cabin.
43. Getting pictures of us landing fish.
44. Netting of big fish; being happy no matter who catches it.
45. Hoping I never feel like a fixed income second class citizen on this trip.
46. Getting pictures of the boat. I would love to have been able to take my dad on one of our fishing trips. My dad would have liked the comfortable Lund boat, but Tommy would not have liked the cigarette ashes.
47. Coming in after a warm day and having a ice cold Miller 64 beer.
48. After a good meal, enjoying our cigars.
49. Hearing Adam's adventure stories. He never lies. True confessions.
50. Visiting Little Africa and Record Lake.
51. Calling Moni from Record Lake. What ya dong?
52. Smelling the pine trees.
53. Hearing the crunching sounds of the gravel path.
54. Seeing what improvements were made to the cabins.
55. Boating, seeing our wake, checking our depth on the fish locater.
56. Watching the eagles soaring and catching fish.
57. Watching the loons and hearing their calls.
58. Watching storms coming in.
59. Sleeping after hours of fishing.
60. Watching the hockey playoffs.
61. Laughing.
62. Talking shit.
63. Taking pictures of Adam cooking.
64. Enjoying our meals together.
65. Watching Tommy updating the data on his computer.
66. Listening to music in the cabin.
67. Measuring the fish.
68. Naming our trip.
69. Taking our mug shots.
70. Ripping a jig through a minnow patch.
71. Getting a double banger. A triple banger?
72. Watching Adam trying to unhook his fish. He might need the glove, or should we give him the pot holder?
73. Using my frogs in the lily pads.
74. Seeing that Tommy brought my dad's Indian blanket.
75. Wearing my waterproof Gor-tex shoes.
76. Looking at how beautiful the walleye are with their golden color and marble eyes.
77. Looking at how nasty the northern and musky are with their large jaws and rows of sharp teeth.
78. Observing Adam's happiness catching a rock bass, that ugly fish with the large head and small body.
79. Seeing Tommy smile holding up his largest catch of the trip.
80. Waking up to a hot cup of coffee and looking out at the lake.
81. Finding the fishing patterns.
82. Finding out what lure Tommy or Adam got for Christmas that catches fish.
83. Netting a really BIG fish.
84. Catching a fish with a lure I got in my Easter basket.
85. Catching a large fish on a lure I chose to use, I picked the color, I chose the depth to fish, I tied to the line, I casted, I chose the retrieve, I set the hook, I played the fish, I got it to the boat, we netted it, not some paid guide.
86. Fishing by the downed tree.
87. Fishing where we caught the large muskies.
88. Having Tommy explain to us the fishing spots.
89. Fishing in Northern Bay.
90. Seeing the octagon house, but not fishing there.
91. Seeing the other fishermen fishing and boating.
92. Reminiscing.
93. Going out very early and coming in late and hearing the purr of the outboard motor.
94. Trying to catch a lake trout.
95. Seeing the names of the Wisconsin towns like Rhinelander, Land O Lakes, and Eagle River.
96. Having dinner at the Texas Roadhouse.
97. Seeing my old house and neighborhood and seeing Tommy with his family and dogs.
98. Seeing Toula, Sophia and AJ.
99. Staying the night with Pat and her dogs.
100. Getting off the plane and seeing Moni.